Quarterly Magazine February 2015 No 139. Price 2.50 JOURNAL. Why so few S&C diversions? The Friends of the Settle - Carlisle Line

Transcription

1 Quarterly Magazine February 2015 No 139 JOURNAL Price 2.50 Why so few S&C diversions? The Friends of the Settle - Carlisle Line

2 FRIENDS OF THE SETTLE CARLISLE LINE Settle Railway Station, Station Road, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 9AA President: The Hon. Sir William McAlpine Bt. Vice Presidents: Lord Inglewood DL; The Bishop of Carlisle; Edward Album; Ron Cotton; Ann Cryer ; David Curry; Philip Johnston; Eric Martlew; Pete Shaw; Ken Shingleton; Brian Sutcliffe MBE; Gary Waller; David Ward. Chairman: Richard Morris - Committee: Stephen Way (Treasurer) stephen.way@settle-carlisle.com Paul Kampen (Secretary & Editor) paul.kampen@settle-carlisle.com Chris Butler * (Trustee - S&C Railway Trust) chris.butler@settle-carlisle.com Peter Davies (Membership Secretary) peter.davies@settle-carlisle.com Ruth Evans (Volunteers Co-ordinator and Events Organiser) ruth.evans@settle-carlisle.com John Johnson (Armathwaite signalbox & Carlisle representative) john.johnson@settle-carlisle.com Paul Levet* (Business Development Co-ordinator) paul.levet@settle-carlisle.com Rod Metcalfe * (On-train Guide Planner, Technology Adviser & Health and Safety Officer) rod.metcalfe@settle-carlisle.com Phil Moorhouse * (Insurance Consultant) phil.moorhouse@settle-carlisle.com Pat Rand (Customer Relations, Trading and Settle Shop Manager) pat.rand@settle-carlisle.com Pete Shaw (Magazine Mailing Co-ordinator) Telephone Nigel Ward (Hon. Solicitor) nigel.ward@settle-carlisle.com * Indicates that these members were co-opted after the 2014 Annual General Meeting in accordance with the FoSCL constitution. Postal Addresses: Chairman: Richard Morris 10 Mill Brow, Armathwaite, Carlisle CA4 9PJ Secretarial Enquiries, Hard Copy for the Magazine and General Postal Enquiries: Paul Kampen - 74 Springfield Road, Baildon, Shipley, W. Yorks BD17 5LX Enquiries about Membership: Peter Davies - 5 Dewhirst Road, Brighouse, W. Yorks HD6 4BA Enquiries about Volunteering: Ruth Evans - 49 Kings Mill Lane, Settle BD24 9FD or as above. Enquiries about the FoSCL Appleby Shop: Kath Smith, 2 Betsy Lane, Temple Sowerby, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1SF Telephone Numbers: Telephone Enquiries about FoSCL Matters Only may be made to: Paul Kampen ( ) or Richard Morris ( ). Other FoSCL Contacts: FoSCL website: Alan Glover (On-train Guides Co-ordinator): alan.glover@settle-carlisle.com David Singleton (Guided Walks Co-ordinator): david.singleton@settle-carlisle.com Joy Smith (Schools Liaison Co-ordinator): joy-smith@blueyonder.co.uk Nigel Mussett (Historian): nigelmussett@gmail.com Other Useful Contacts: Settle-Carlisle Partnership Website: Northern Rail: Customer.relations@northernrail.org or telephone: Group Bookings: grouptravel@settle-carlisle.co.uk Steam Train Running: NEXT MAGAZINE: Copy date for the May 2015 magazine will be Saturday 18th April. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the committee. You can the magazine at: paul.kampen@settle-carlisle.com. For electronic (PDF) copies of the magazine please contact the Editor. Past copies of the magazine may be seen at: ADVERTISEMENT RATES FOR THE MAGAZINE: Full Page = 75. Half page = 45. Quarter Page = 30. Four ads for the price of three if booked at the same time. All standard formats acceptable. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS: Individual member: 10. Junior member: 3. Family member: Corporate member: 40. Life member: 250. Joint Life membership: 350. Cover Picture: Fewer diversions use the S&C than previously, with bus-substitution seeming the preferred option. A Glasgow - Penzance Voyager diverted from the WCML is shown in Garsdale on 14/5/2005. Photo: Pete Shaw

3 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Chairman s Report The Chairman s Report FoSCL Chairman Richard Morris writes: A new year; new opportunities in both of FoSCL s prime areas of interest. We re in the midst of talking to the bidders for the next franchise, and we re firming up how we support the preservation and maintenance of our heritage. We ve now met all the bidders for the next Northern franchise: Abellio, Arriva and Govia. Mark Rand, Paul Levet and I have polished our presentation on what we d like to see for the S&C, and feedback says that we re regarded as very professional. Mark presents the prospectus highlighted in the November issue of the Journal, Paul summarises his business case for a Manchester service, and I detail the case for Leeds-Carlisle improvements, and sum up. The Invitation to Tender should have been published by the Department for Transport before Christmas but has been delayed. When it s out, probably mid-february, we ll review it and decide what more we need to send to bidders. We ve also requested meetings with the Trans Pennine Express bidders, which will take place shortly. Why TPE, when the DfT say that the S&C is firmly in the Northern franchise? Well, we don t fit comfortably in a metropolitan commuter-centred Train Operating Company we are a long-distance inter-urban route and deserve appropriate services and rolling stock if we re to develop it further. And we are Trans-Pennine! One of the TPE bidders is First Group: in conjunction with Keolis they run the present franchise. I m sure Paul will ask them to run some of their Manchester-Carlisle services via Clitheroe, Hellifield and the S&C. And as the present incumbent we ll ask them why they don t divert their Class 185 DMUs via the S&C at present. Prompted by a question at our AGM last year, Mark s Futures Group is using its expertise to take issue with both Virgin and TPE, not to mention Passenger Focus see much of the rest of this edition! Trans-Pennine we are, Express we are not while we re restricted to 60 mph maximum. For years we ve been asking for 75 mph without progress, except for a few hints from Network Rail recently that they might be able to give us a few miles fairly soon. We followed these up by talking to the Sponsor. He has given us a great deal of information as to what is feasible and where, with detailed map. The results are a bit disheartening for those who were hoping for a serious reduction in journey time we re only talking a very few minutes overall. Let the Editor know if you d like to see the detail and if there s enough interest we ll ask Network Rail for permission to publish in the next edition of the Journal. Meanwhile the good people of Dentdale have been asking why the from Carlisle stops at every station apart from Dent. Good question, when some of them have to drive to Ribblehead every day to commute to Leeds or Skipton, and when the train often arrives at Ribblehead early and waits for up to 5 minutes. Northern have recently responded: they re not prepared to take the risk until they know the effect of the two new stations being built in the Aire Valley. Fair enough, and we ll revisit it after they open. But a positive aspect; Northern will put pressure on Network Rail for an increase in line speed. Still on rail services, in the November edition I mentioned our comprehensive headcount surveys and our connectivity exercise at Carlisle. Both are now bearing fruit. Analysis of the August and October headcount data has convinced us that the ORR station footfall statistics understate the true picture, especially at Settle. Comparison with on train 1 Please do not forget to read the membership information on the coloured message card sent with this mailing - you may be due to renew your membership at this time.

4 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Chairman s Report headcount data from 20 years ago shows massive growth in travel from Leeds in the afternoon, lending support for our campaign for an extra departure from Leeds at And there are some interesting results coming out of our observations at Carlisle: there s a lot of interchange with other lines especially the WCML to/from Scotland. More work to be done yet and we may well report back in more detail in the next Journal. Something that doesn t fit neatly into either category of FoSCL s objects, but is a really new departure, came just too late for the previous edition of the Journal. The Committee agreed on 31st October to take out a lease on the glamourously named Unit E, a standalone building at the end of the Sidings in Settle, just opposite the station. This will provide us with office and storage space, maybe even a workshop, and it s likely we ll rent out space to our sister organisations or any other worthy cause. It could become a centre for the entire line... Can anyone come up with a better name than Unit E? We were delighted when Ribblehead Stationmaster s House won its category at the National Rail Heritage Awards in London in December. Naturally we were very pleased for our colleagues in the S&C Railway Trust, who own the House through their operating subsidiary, but also for FoSCL as a major financial contributor. In the end it s proved to be money well spent, and in spite of initial fears the self-catering operation there and at Kirkby Stephen has really taken off in There s been a real turnaround in the financial position of the Trust over the past year, which gives us confidence in looking for ways to support financially the S&C s heritage in the future. You, the membership, are consistently generous in your donations and legacies, and now and again you also tell us to spend some of it on suitable projects! Accordingly the FoSCL Committee agreed in January to pay off the Trust s bank loans on the Stationmaster s House, thus saving them over 7,000 per annum in interest charges and capital repayments. For an investment of around 70,000 in the form of a loan on the same terms as our existing investment in the House, we get a first charge on the House if it s ever sold. And our Treasurer is delighted to be putting some of our money to good use for the benefit of the S&C, instead of having it languishing in investment accounts earning little more than zero. I m sure he ll expand on this in person at the AGM. Which reminds me: please do come to the AGM. Of our 3,300 members, only 80 to 100 regularly attend, that s less than 3% of the membership. Other smaller rail user groups regularly get a good 25% of their membership at their AGM: if we were so fortunate, we d get over 800 people attending! This year, in a departure from custom, we are having a presentation on the Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area FoSCL s project to record and catalogue every structure, past and present, along the whole length of the line; a massive and unique undertaking, which deserves far more publicity than it s had to date. Do come and hear two of its authors, Mark Harvey and Richard Tinker, speak for the first time in public on this monumental project. We look forward to seeing you! Trustee Jo Kaye (Strategy and Planning Director for Network Rail) with the plaque presented to the Settle-Carlisle Railway Trust at the National Railway Heritage Awards at Merchant Taylor s Hall, London. The plaque commemorates the refurbishment of the Ribblehead Stationmaster s House. 2 Photo: Richard Morris

5 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Editorial Editorial Soon after the November 2014 issue of this journal was circulated, I was alerted (by a non-foscl member) to a posting on a heritage web forum. This was actually cut and pasted from another forum and came from a FoSCL member writing under a pseudonym. The member concerned was extremely upset at comments in the journal concerning electrification and encouraged all interested parties to contact me and voice their objections. Sadly, nobody has seen fit to do this - but there was a response on the web forum concerned from a retired railway professional who pointed out that FoSCL s duty was to look after the future of the line and its services. Since then a well-known and highly respected member of FoSCL has seen fit to write to the railway press and voice his objections to the ideas expressed in the journal. This elicited a very strong response on the blog of a leading public transport campaigner. Please look at the Letters to the Editor section this time: there are only two contributions on the subject of electrification and both are supportive. So, does anybody else have a view that they would like to put forward to us? If so, please let us have it we will not send the boys round. Everybody s sincerely-held views will be respected and we need debate on how to try to shape the future of the line in these difficult times. One more thing: the title of the prospectus produced by FoSCL is Taking the history of the line into the future. There cannot be many members of FoSCL (or its hard-working committee!) who are not enthused by the unique features of the S&C its heritage (history, stations and structures, personalities, incomparable scenery etc.,) and the sights and sounds of the current scene whether it be a steam special going over Ribblehead Viaduct, a loaded coal train climbing up to Ais Gill or the fact that the trains, for the moment, are still controlled by wayside signalboxes and semaphores. But let us all remember that, when the line was under threat in the 1980s, one harebrained scheme was to turn it into a giant preservation project. This was rightly seen as ludicrous by the campaigners of the time. Would it be any less ludicrous now? Paul A. Kampen - paul.kampen@gmail.com (Could members please note that the address: editor@settle-carlisle.co.uk is no longer available. If members wish to contact the editor by they should use the address above or the address contained in the front cover). FoSCL s newly acquired Midland Railway Bench, lovingly restored by Ben Bland of Keighley Furniture Workshop. Once again serving its original purpose for the benefit of rail passengers. Photo: Richard Morris 3

6 FoSCL Notes Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes The Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line Annual General Meeting Victoria Hall, Kirkgate, Settle Saturday April 18th Registration will be from hrs and formal business will commence at hrs. Please find enclosed with this issue of the Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal an agenda paper which includes a copy of the minutes from the 2014 AGM. Please remember to bring this paper with you - you may need it in order to vote and we may not be able to supply a replacement. At the close of formal business there will be an opportunity for members to ask questions - either from the floor or in advance by to: paul.kampen@settle-carlisle.com At 14.30hrs, after a break for lunch, there will be a presentation on the Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area Project by Mark Harvey and Richard Tinker. Paul A. Kampen - Secretary - 09/01/15 4 A warm welcome awaits you at the Nateby Inn & Walkers Tearoom near Kirkby Stephen 4* En-Suite Bedrooms Fine Ales Tasty food Gaynor & her friendly team Function room available Tel:

7 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes Membership Matters We note the deaths of the following members and send our condolences to their families and friends: Mr. David Ballinger Gloucestershire. Mr. G. D. Clayton - Chorley, Lancs. Mr E.C. Cuff Stockport. Miss Alice Palmer - Appleby. Mr T. Shipp - Cambridge. Magazines addressed to the following members have been returned undelivered: Mr. S. J. Bamber - Barnsley. Mrs. N. Graham Cracoe. If anybody knows the current addresses for these members could they please let us know. Could members please note that membership cards are sent out on the coloured address card with magazines and not separately. ON-LINE BANKING: Several members have requested the facility to pay their subscriptions directly to our bank. Any member who wishes to do so should make their payment to: Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line Barclays Bank PLC Skipton Branch Sort Code Account number PLEASE QUOTE YOUR MEMBERSHIP NUMBER AS A REFERENCE. Peter G. Davies - Membership Secretary FoSCL Dalescards All FoSCL members, wherever they live, are entitled to purchase a FoSCL Dalescard. This gives the same benefits as the Dales Railcard (i.e., one third off the price of rail tickets Leeds-Settle- Carlisle and Leeds-Skipton-Morecambe) but is available to all FoSCL members, whatever their postcode. These cards are issued by Northern Rail and are ordered by the FoSCL Membership Secretary on the behalf of members. The current price is 17. Holders of family memberships are entitled to purchase two cards per membership. Please allow up to two weeks for delivery. RENEWING AN EXISTING FoSCL RAILCARD: Please note that the purchase and renewal of these cards is only possible through FoSCL - please do not contact Northern Rail or the S&C Development Company. Why not use our secure webshop which can be found at: Or you may send a cheque to the Membership Secretary (address in front inside cover - please do not send cash); and you can phone the Secretary ( ) to arrange a customer not present credit/debit card transaction. Lost or Stolen Cards: It is regretted that lost or stolen cards cannot be replaced. We have recently had some instances of cardholders finding that the printing on the card has faded: in this instance the card should be returned, with a stamped addressed envelope, to: Specialist Sales Centre, Northern Rail, The Travel Centre, Leeds City Station Leeds LS1 4DX Please do not laminate the cards or put them into separate plastic wallets. Jim Gethins It is with sadness that we have heard of the death of Jim Gethins, who worked as a relief for the resident caretakers at the Visitor Centre at Ribblehead. We and many other people will remember the support that Jim gave at Ribblehead for over 10 years. Jim had a wonderful dry sense of humour which he used to good effect with visitors and ourselves. Our memories of Ribblehead will always include Jim and we send our condolences to his wife, Alma. Patricia and Tony Beckwith - Ribblehead Caretakers, 2008 to

8 Sales Department 2014 Christmas Mail Order Our thanks go to all of you who ordered goods from our Christmas mail order catalogue. Mail order receipts totalled 5, and this included a staggering total of 1, in donations. The committee offers its grateful thanks to all donors for their generosity. Over the same period we received a record number of orders through our webshop at: The most popular items were Christmas cards and calendars but the full range of our stock was represented. If you still have your mail order catalogue and would like to purchase goods with it you are welcome to do so. And of course the webshop is available all-year-round. In addition to the items listed we can offer the following books by David Maidment, a retired senior railway manager and founder-chairman of the Railway Children charity: Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes Lives on the Line - a novel of drama and conflict set in a large steam locomotive depot in the 1960s. Price incl. P&P : Nobody ever listened to me - Stories & words of Street Children throughout the world. Price incl. P&P: 8.25 The Other Railway Children - A personal reflection on the Railway Children Charity. Price incl. P&P: 8.25 The Toss of a Coin - An autobiography of a railway career. Price incl. P&P: All royalties from the above books go to The Railway Children Charity (Reg. no ) New for 2015: The expanding Cinerail catalogue includes a new title: On Yorkshire Lines which includes archive footage of Skipton and the Grassington branch. This is available from inc P+P. These new items can also be found on our webshop. Paul A. Kampen - Secretary/Editor Shop Opening Hours Core opening hours for our two station shops are: Settle: Monday to Saturday inclusive a.m. to 3.15 p.m. Appleby: Fridays and Saturdays: a.m. to 4.00 p.m. 6

9 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes Committee Changes The committee has, with extreme regret, accepted the resignation for personal reasons of Alan Glover. Happily, Alan will continue the role of On-train Guides Co-ordinator which he has occupied with great success over the last couple of years; we hope to see him up and down the line often in the future. We would like to thank Alan for the work that he has put into this project and for his forthright, positive, but not uncritical, contributions to the committee s meetings and work over the past three years. At the January 2015 committee meeting the committee co-opted Dr Chris Butler to serve initially until the AGM in April. He has also been appointed to serve as a trustee on the Settle-Carlisle Railway Trust. Museum; and for FoSCL is an On-train Guide and magazine packer too! Chris is a trustee of the Commonwealth Library - University of Bradford, the Quaker Peace Studies Trust - University of Bradford and the Brighouse Area Quaker Meeting. Paul A. Kampen - Secretary Now resident in Shipley, Chris is from a Derby railway family and qualified as a doctor at University College Hospital, London. Over the years he has worked in several different specialities including Occupational Medicine; this included compulsory medical examination of drivers, guards, signallers etc., for the National Railway Museum, West Coast Railways, Hull Trains and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. As a volunteer he has passed out as a guard for passenger and freight trains for the K&WVR, the Wensleydale Railway and the NRM for which he is also passed out as a driver on the miniature railway. As if this is not enough, he works as a steward on charter trains for West Coast Railway, the Railway Touring Company and the National Railway 7

10 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes Christmas Events Christmas Lunch: For our annual Christmas lunch on Saturday November 29th we returned to the Conistone Hotel which proved such a succesful and popular venue in Again we enjoyed superb food, excellent service and lovely surroundings - a perfect start to the Christmas season. Our thanks go to Phil Moorhouse and Pat Rand for their organisation of the event which went without a hitch. On Friday 12th December a Carol Concert was held in the Tea Rooms on Hellifield Station. Settle Voices, a well known local choir, rendered pieces of Christmas Music whilst the audience enjoyed singing the usual Christmas Carols. A sum of 250 was made from the profits that evening for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Saturday 13th December was Settle Open Day. A party of walkers arrived on the to be greeted with mince pies and sherry. After a walk, the group were holding their Christmas Lunch at the Harts Head in Giggleswick. Settle Voices then went on the train in the afternoon to Ribblehead. Plenty of snow greeted us, but the platform had been kindly cleared for walking by one of our volunteers. At Ribblehead Station we were met with a further choir - Lakeland Voices from Sedbergh. These two choirs singing together sounded so wonderful. Someone reminded us that this used to happen many years ago on Ribblehead Station. Watch out next year, as we hope to make this a bigger event. Later in the morning, we once again had the pleasure of listening to Settle Voices on Settle Station platform. It was a cold crisp sunny day and as the trains passed through the station, their passengers had the pleasure of listening to the choir. We also had members of the Opera North Horn Club. It was just wonderful listening to the horn players and the choir on the platform. As I said above, it was a cold and very frosty day. Our dedicated volunteer Eric Stanley was found to be busy putting down de-icer on the platforms and steps. Well done Eric, keeping us all safe. 8 By Saturday evening we were beginning to flag; but another task lay ahead of us in the evening - The Music and Ale train. There was difficulty in getting a choir on the train to sing carols and I was asked if I could help out with this. I asked Bob Swallow and Robin Corbett from Settle Signal Box, who then enrolled 3 local vicars to make up a choir. The passengers thoroughly enjoyed themselves (although I think the ale helped) but both carriages were in full tune. In the photograph on the train you can see Bob Swallow and Neil Kendra (local vicar wearing a funny hat and a nose that kept blinking). It was a great evening. If you feel you have missed out on all these events, look on our website: next year where all these events should take place again. Text and photos: Ruth Evans

11 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - FoSCL Notes Armathwaite Signalbox Volunteers Lunch We held our second Christmas lunch for signal box volunteers past and present at the Dukes Head, Armathwaite, on December 23rd The special guest was David Stephens who finds, buys and then donates items such as block instruments, bells, signs etc that once belonged at the box and are now back home. The next signal box walk is on Saturday May 16th. Please see the walks leaflet for full details. John Johnson David Stephens third from left at the front. Photo: Tracey Johnson. Magazine Despatch It is time to say our annual Thank You to the group of about 30 volunteers who come to Baildon, here in West Yorkshire, to pack your magazine and inserts into the envelopes. As well as simply getting the job done, we pre-sort the post into geographic areas which earns us a discount from the Royal Mail. Over the four mailings in 2014 this saved us the magnificent sum of The discount reduces the cost of each envelope being posted from 1.17 to about 45p. The magazine team are fortified during these packing sessions with a splendid array of homemade cakes and buns, provided by Brenda Moss, Joan Butler and Gail Lamb - to whom an extra thank you. Some of us were mulling over the changes in appearance, size and quality of our magazine, culminating in the very professional standard that we now have reached. This led to memories of packers now departed, which in turn made us wonder how long we d been packing at the Moravian Church Hall in Baildon. Peter Mann, one of our team who comes from Eldwick, said that our first packing session in Baildon was November so in Baildon with most of our original team for a full 16 years now. What loyalty and dedication! Prior to 1998 packing was in Skipton with a much smaller group - hence the need for change. Pete Shaw Marketing Pledge When deciding to keep the S&C open, back in 1989, the then Transport Minister - Michael Portillo - urged the Friends to continue with our efforts to promote the line. My team, operating from a leaflet store on Shipley station, distributed 15,000 Lineguide timetables during the last Summer season and are part way through another 15,000 this Winter. And about 20,000 of the Settle-Carlisle Enterprise Network (SCENe) leaflet about What to see on the line. And we are organising the Bedroom Browser folders for hotels and guest houses for the coming 2015 Summer - amounting to 36,000 Lakeland; 15,500 in Harrogate and District; and 18,000 in West and South Yorkshire. We also have another team doing similar work based at Settle station! So Michael, we did pledge to keep promoting the line and we are continuing - perhaps the most important thing that we do; keep the passenger numbers up? Pete Shaw 9

12 FoSCL Guided walks 2014 Co-ordinator s report 2014 has been yet another very successful year for the FoSCL guided walks. 25 years after the saving of the line following a campaign in which walkers featured strongly, it is heartening to report that the guided walks continue to be well supported. As usual, a full programme of walks has been organised, taking place every Saturday and many Wednesdays and Sundays. Walks have been led from both the Settle to Carlisle trains and the Morecambe line trains. Over 1800 people have joined the walks and the total distance covered was nearly 2,400 miles. As well as the normal walks, FoSCL co-operated again with the Ride2Stride walking festival in early May. Now established as a regular annual event, the festival is a successful combination of guided walks, talks and music sessions. In 2015 the Ride2Stride week will take place from 28 April to 4 May. A copy of the programme should be included with this issue but for further details please visit the web site As mentioned above, 2014 was the 25th anniversary of the saving of the line and as part of the celebrations FoSCL walk leaders joined with those from Friends of DalesRail to organise Walk the Line a series of linear walks from Settle to Carlisle. A fuller report of this event can be found elsewhere in this issue of the magazine. In December the annual Walkers Christmas dinner was well attended by over 40 guests. Leaders Andy & Rosemary Feather led a walk from Settle, ending at the Hart s Head in Giggleswick for a festive meal. Grateful thanks to Andy & Rosemary for organising this popular event. The guided walks continue to be promoted by leaflets and on the web site. A number of enquiries have arisen from our web presence and significantly quite a few have come from overseas visitors who have been researching the area before visiting. We have welcomed walkers from various parts of the world as a result. The walks would not take place without the dedication of the team of volunteer 10 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes leaders and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their enthusiastic support and help. David Singleton FoSCL Walks Co-ordinator Carlisle Display Board A display board celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of Carlisle Citadel station was affixed to the wall of Platform 6 in The station was built in 1847, in a neo- Tudor style to the designs of William Tite. It was then one of a number of stations in the city - the others were at Crown Street (Maryport and Carlisle Railway) and London Road (Newcastle and Carlisle Railway) - but had become the main one by 1851; it was expanded and extended in , with the arrival of the Midland Railway (which became the seventh different company to serve it). The display incorporated the coats of arms of all seven railway companies and a brief history of each. By 2014, the original board was looking distinctly faded and the worse for wear. As a small thank you to Virgin Trains, who had done the Settle- Carlisle Line a number of favours at Carlisle Station, FoSCL offered to commission a replacement board which would retain much of the original content yet bring the whole appearance up to date. The new display, designed by Rachel Griffiths of ImageRail, was installed in place of the old one on 20th January 2015, to the delight of the Carlisle Station staff. Rachel Griffiths and Richard Morris with the board. Photo: Andrew Griffiths

13 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes News Notes Refreshment Trolley Service Some members will be aware, from TV and press reports, that there is currently an official dispute between the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company and the RMT union representing Dev. Co. employees who operate the refreshment trolley service on S&C trains. FoSCL is a voluntary association, entirely separate from the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company which is a commercial organisation. It is to be hoped that this dispute can be resolved as soon as possible. Paul A. Kampen - FoSCL Secretary Settle-Carlisle Enterprise Network (SCENe) During the campaigning days to save the line from closure, it was realised that there was significant interaction between the railway and the local economy. This resulted in an organisation being set up to stimulate local businesses to focus on the railway, and to help direct passengers towards local attractions. This was the Settle-Carlisle Railway Business Liaison Group (SCRBLG). They ran campaigns; organised familiarisation trips for staff from Tourist Information Centres, hotels and B&Bs; conducted studies and produced reports; produced promotional literature; and developed a synergy between traders and the railway. They became a company limited by guarantee and were subsequently re-named as SCENe. Do you own, run or work in a business? We would be interested to know if you run a business, broadly within reach of a station in the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle railway corridor. FoSCL probably has members who may be in business, but we only know you as individual members, not as a business. Do please get in touch. If FoSCL is to become more business-focussed, we need to know who our business members are. An important aspect of SCENe s output is the annual leaflet about Where to go, and how to get there which the Friends help to distribute (we sent one out with the magazine last Spring). This leaflet promotes businesses and visitor attractions within reach of the railway and you are invited to enquire immediately about the modest advertising rates if you would like to promote your business in the 2015 issue. The leaflet enjoys in-depth distribution in the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria, is colourful and attractive, and helps to draw customers over your threshold. For further information please contact SCENe Chairman Ruth Annison on Pete Shaw Peter Robinson We reported the sad news of Peter Robinson s death in the last magazine. He was a stalwart campaigner for retention of the S&C and for railway development in other areas too. A memorial plaque has now been placed at his home station of Grange-over-Sands, on the Furness line between Carnforth and Barrow, and part of the design is Ribblehead viaduct, emphasising his links with the S&C. Pete Shaw The plaque at Grange-over-Sands. Photo: Pete Shaw 11

14 Stationmaster s House - Ribblehead A piece of railway history which has been restored to its former glory has triumphed at a national industry awards ceremony. The former Stationmaster s house at Ribblehead on the historic Settle to Carlisle railway line beat scores of entrants from across the UK and Ireland to win the National Railway Heritage Awards conservation category. Built in 1875 by the Midland Railway, the house became derelict but in 2013 was sympathetically restored by the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust at a cost of 300,000. The house now provides an income for the Trust as self-catering holiday accommodation for up to six people and joins two other self-catering railway properties the Trust also owns at Kirkby Stephen. It was officially opened in April 2013 by Sir William McAlpine, chairman of the Railway Heritage Trust. Poignantly, the win has come in the same year the line celebrated 25 years since its reprieve from closure. The award was presented by Sir Peter Hendy, the Commissioner of Transport for London, during an awards ceremony at the Merchant Taylor s Hall, in central London. Jon Blythe, general manager of the Trust said: We are delighted to win this award and receive the recognition from our peers in the railway heritage sector. It s particularly gratifying as we are a very small team and this award is a testament to the way that the Trust and industry partners and supporters have worked together to transform what was an isolated, virtually derelict building, into a high quality holiday let. It s really encouraging to see so many smaller projects being recognised which demonstrates the inventiveness that is alive in the railway heritage sector across the country. The National Railway Heritage Awards are in their 35th year and were formed to recognise projects of excellence, from pioneering achievements of national institutions to those crafted with 12 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes limited resources and budget, or those championing sustainability. Jon Blythe For details of how to book your holiday at the Stationmaster s House, please see page 18 of this magazine. Improvements at Ribblehead Ribblehead is often referred to as the iconic centrepiece of the Settle- Carlisle line; and rightly so:- massive viaduct, Three Peaks scenery, visitor centre at the little rural station and beautifully restored Stationmaster s house available for holiday letting. The S&C Railway Trust have just announced a programme of repairs to improve the approach road up to the station. This will entail digging out the 40 potholes, which have been a problem recently, and providing new road foundations and surface. Great news for passengers, visitors and holiday makers arriving by car.

15 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes However, passengers alighting from trains at the northbound platform casting their eyes towards Blea Moor and Newby Head are met with the unsightly junk and detritus of abandoned scrap materials dumped in the yard by Network Rail. Whilst we appreciate that it may take a little while to clear up after engineering operations, the current crop of rubbish has been there for years. Comprising old rails, broken fencing, wooden and concrete sleepers, spent ballast, lumps of metal and a myriad of other scrap - surely it cannot be too much to ask for it to be cleared away periodically? We have tried, but our requests fall on deaf ears. Text and Photos: Pete Shaw Network Rail Plans We are grateful to FoSCL member Ian Watson of Carlisle for the following information: The transfer of signalling control to the Manchester Regional Operating Centre is now planned for: Cumbrian coast north (Bootle - Wigton); Settle & Carlisle (Howe s Sidings to Hellifield); Cumbrian coast south (Silecroft - Arnside); Carlisle PSB; Preston PSB. The freight operating companies want to run longer intermodal trains of 104 standard length units rather than the present 84. This would entail lengthening WCML loops, some of which, e.g. Plumpton, cannot hold 84 SLUs anyway. New stronger stretcher bars are being installed at points on the WCML over the next five years. The root cause of the Lambrigg Pendolino accident was that Network Rail had not anticipated that 125mph tilting trains are harder on the track than 125mph HSTs had been on the GWML and ECML. The management of earthworks to prevent landslips and washouts has improved. Human track patrolling on the WCML has been replaced by test trains such as the New Measurement Train HST.Daytime track work is still necessary because it cannot all be done on Saturday nights. NR hope to close 200 level crossings in the north west in the current control period ( ). 4, Railway Cottages, Garsdale Head, Sedbergh, 3 Bedroom Cottage This former railwayman s cottage sleeps 6 and is situated alongside Garsdale Station on the Settle- Carlisle railway. Situated high on the hillside it affords excellent view across fells and moorland. The cottage is fully double glazed, comfortably furnished, has oil fired central heating, open fire and satellite TV. Children and well behaved dogs are welcome. Open all year. For brochure or additional information contact:- Wendy Mills Tel trevor.mills@talktalk.net Website: 13

16 New and Amended Signs at Skipton and Hellifield Stations During 2014 a new sign appeared on Skipton Station island platform three and four promoting 'the Bentham Line'. This has now been amended to promote both 'the Settle Carlisle Line' and 'the Bentham Line'. Again during early 2014 at Hellifield a sign suddenly appeared promoting 'the Bentham Line'. The sign was in bright red paint and quite out of place on this fine old Midland station. Additionally it was sited in front of a new seat presented to the people of Hellifield by Network Rail in recognition of their forbearance whilst the 500,000 facelift of the public part of the station canopy took place. This caused considerable disquiet amongst rail and cafe users plus 'the friends of Hellifield Station' to the extent that it has now been removed and two smaller signs in Midland red on resited locations have taken its place. A big thank you to all involved in resolving this matter. The sign at Skipton Some readers may wonder just where lies 'the Bentham Line'. This leaves the Settle Carlisle route at Settle Junction heading via Carnforth to Lancaster and, after reversal, to Morecambe. Bentham is an unstaffed station on the stretch of the Leeds Lancaster Morecambe line which parallels the River Wenning for several miles before threading Wennington Tunnel to shortly cross the River Lune. Other stations on 14 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes this line are at Giggleswick; Clapham and Wennington plus Bare Lane between Lancaster and Morecambe. The sign at Hellifield Text and photos: Bob Swallow Steamer Finds a New Home The steam loco which has been on static display at Appleby for seven years, 4979 Wootton Hall was transferred to the Ribble Railway, at Preston Docks, on October 27th for restoration. The loco went on one low loader lorry and the tender on a second. It was a notable attraction, with many passengers sitting up to look as our trains drew into Appleby station. Pete Shaw Wootton Hall being placed on the low loader. Photo: Malcolm Preston-Green

17 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes Testing, Testing We occasionally mention the New Measurement Train in our Special Traffic Report. This is a very sophisticated special train dedicated to Network Rail operations. It is formed of what used to be called an Inter-City 125 High Speed Train, in their yellow house colours, with a power car at each end. Thus it can go down branch lines, up to buffer stops, and the crew just need to change ends - no need for running round of a loco. It is usually made up with about five yellow coaches (but can be varied) depending on what is to be measured - different coaches are used for different measurements. The train can operate efficiently at 110 mph and generally records a number of track parameters. They can be analysed and maintenance programmed, to remedy any faults which may be found. Use of the NMT removes the need for large numbers of manual observations along the trackbed. However, there are some less than ideal points with the NMT. It needs train crew and technical staff; a valuable path along its route; the ride quality of a Mark 3 test coach may be different from the bogies on our usual Class 158 Super Sprinters etc. So a piece of machinery has been developed which can be attached to the rear of our Class 158s - whilst they operate a normal service. The company behind the new device is called RailData, or RILA. The rail geometry is scanned very accurately and correlated to a Global Positioning System (GPS) mounted on the kit - the part looking like a chimney. The advantage is that it is measuring from a service train rather than a special working; and therefore ride quality is being assessed for an actual passenger train in service; it does not require a special train path nor bespoke traincrew; and it is said that the kit can be attached to a train in just two minutes by two people (although this has probably to be done in a depot?) This is an interesting development and we thought that you would like to know - several people saw the kit on the S&C and asked what it was. Early rumours of a solar powered automatic chestnut roasting oven were quickly dismissed! Pete Shaw Left: The new track geometry scanner attached to on the Leeds - Carlisle service on 13/08/2014. Photo: Pete Shaw Photo: Pete Shaw 15

18 50,000 DalesBus passengers and counting has been a record breaking year for the Sunday DalesBus network with over 50,000 trips already made including over 1700 on the FoSCL-supported Northern Dalesman bus which links the S&C with Wensleydale and Swaledale. Thanks to donations from FoSCL and Northern there will be a 2015 service although the exact extent will depend upon the outcome of a bid to the National Park s Sustainable Development Fund. Further details in the May issue or online at: Funding for bus services is very limited but there are daily links from Skipton to Grassington & Buckden and between Garsdale and Hawes together with Saturday buses from Dent Station to Dent, Sedbergh & Kendal. The Craven Connection also operates Mon - Sat between Skipton, Settle, Giggleswick, Clapham, Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale whilst Cumbria Classic Coaches have a new Monday service from Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes Kirkby Stephen to Kendal to add to their Wednesday Barnard Castle service and Summer Tuesday Hawes service. Contrary to some rumours these services are expected to operate throughout 2015 but their future beyond this will depend on how many people use them so make this the year that you visit some places just off the line - go for a walk or just browse around interesting places such as Hawes, Kirkby Lonsdale, Sedbergh or Ingleton. Why not visit a showcave or museum as part of your day together with a delicious meal in a local cafe or pub and support the local economy? Long distance walkers should be aware that 2015 may be the last year that you can walk the Dales Way from Ilkley to Bowness in stages from West Yorkshire by public transport including use of the S&C. Dales Rambler tickets are a bargain at just including train travel from Leeds or Bradford to Ilkley or Skipton and unlimited bus travel daily in Wharfedale and at weekends to Malham. You can go out via Ilkley and return via Skipton or vice versa. Railcards offer further discounts and Self-Catering Holidays at Kirkby Stephen Station SPECIAL DISCOUNT for FoSCL members Self-catering with great views of both the trains and the fells. Two holiday lets, open all year, for full weeks and short breaks. FREE Wi Fi for guests 16 Visit for details or call Rachel on

19 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News Notes there are no time restrictions with Dales Rambler tickets so you can travel home in the afternoon peak. At the time of writing a decision was still awaited from NYCC regarding the use of Bus passes on Sunday DalesBus services; FoSCL s view expressed in a response to NYCC was that this is a mandatory national scheme and it is outside NYCC s remit to amend it in this manner. Summer DalesBus timetable will be available in late April at most stations on the line and lots of other outlets or check online at: Winter timetables are available now - if you can t get a copy or go online just send me an A5 SAE to Milldale, 2 Station Rd, West Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 6GW. If you have any comments or queries regarding bus services off the line please feel free to ring me on or john.disney@ntu.ac.uk John Disney Steam News The very successful Fellsman operation commences on Wednesday 27th May and runs every Wednesday until August 26th. Timings (return times in brackets) are Lancaster (20.45), Preston (20.25), Blackburn (19.35), Clitheroe (18.45) and Long Preston (17.50). For further details and booking please see: Statesman Rail: com or ring The West Coast Rail Company are planning The Dalesman running from York to Carlisle and back via the S&C on Tuesdays and Thursdays commencing May 5th. For further details and booking please contact the WCRC on The Railway Touring Company have a variety of S&C workings on Sundays commencing on July 11th. For further information and bookings please enquiries@railwaytouring.co.uk or phone For all uk steam please see: uksteam.info Kirkby Stephen Vintage Bus & Vehicle Rally Easter Saturday & Sunday April 4th & 5th Every Easter sees a superb collection of Vintage Buses and other Classic Vehicles converging upon Kirkby Stephen and Brough together with sales stands and displays. It s a great day out with free vintage bus rides from Kirkby Stephen Station to the Town Centre and Brough with some extra tours round the lanes to Warcop during the day. There s a road run at 5pm on Saturday from Brough to Ravenstonedale which is a spectacular sight from Kirkby Stephen Station as buses from a bygone era crawl up the steep hill. FoSCL has offered a free guided 7-mile walk on Easter Saturday for the last 5 years commencing at (not as claimed erroneously in the leaflet), connecting with the train from Leeds via Lammerside Castle and the Eden Viaducts and finishing in Kirkby Stephen Town by 3pm so that walkers can sample the rally and a ride back up to the station. This year we are also offering an easy 2 mile guided tour of Kirkby Stephen starting from the Station at with lots more time to enjoy the rally. Make a date in your diary to join us this year. No need to book but if you have any queries please contact me on or John Disney Vintage Bus at the Kirkby Stephen Rally, Easter Photo: Pete Shaw 17

20 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Special Traffic Report Special Traffic Report 11th October 45699/47245 Leicester - Carlisle 18th October Carlisle - Nottingham 20th October NMT Heaton - Derby 25th October NMT Derby - Heaton 25th October (Carlisle) - Derby, via London Road Curve 17th November NMT Heaton - Derby 22nd November NMT Derby - Heaton? November 150xxx Barnsley - Carlisle 10th January 67012/67027 Derby - Heaton 12th January 67012/67027 Heaton - Derby On December 12th there were overhead electrical problems in the area near to Morecambe south junction which resulted in just two trains being diverted via the S&C, both northbound. One was a ten-coach Voyager, said to be jam packed full with passengers; and the other an empty stock special parcels train from Warrington to Glasgow with electric loco still attached, being dragged by The high level of bus use instead of diverting trains via the S&C is why we have shown previous diversions on our magazine cover this time. Why are TOCs not using the S&C? Passengers are greatly inconvenienced when put onto replacement buses. Pete Shaw with a rake of wagons including MRA bogie side tip ballast wagons and MHA 4-wheel ballast/spoil open box wagons. Seen at Garsdale station. Photo: Roger Templeman 18

21 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Ribblehead Stationmaster s House The house sleeps 4 (+2) and guests can enjoy free Wi Fi connection The restored and beautifully fitted Station Master s House at Ribblehead is a great place to stay, to enjoy the beauty of the landscape and the history of this famous railway. Discount rates for FoSCL Members Phone Rachel now on for details or visit the website at for a full listing of prices and the dates available

22 Settle- Carlisle Railway Journal - Seen on the Line Above: Here is one train that was diverted; a Virgin Voyager emerges from fog to be held at Garsdale to allow the preceding train to clear the section. Photo: Carsten Lundsten Below: The New Measurement Train Inter-City 125 High Speed Train running from Derby to Heaton, seen with Whernside, at Ribblehead, on 26/7/14. Photo: Pete Shaw 20

23 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Seen on the Line Above: With a bumper year promised for steam, here is a taster in the shape of Galatea at Mallerstang, 18th June Photo: Neil Wroe Below: Will we see Wootton Hall in action again? Here it is before removal from Appleby. Photo: Pete Shaw 21

24 Image: Shankend Viaduct, near Hawick. Copyright Walter Baxter. Source: Reproduced under licence. RE-OPEN THE WAVERLEY ROUTE FROM CARLISLE TO EDINBURGH GALASHIELS CARLISLE EDINBURGH HAWICK Founded in 1999, the Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) has been one of the most successful grassroots rail campaigns in Great Britain, a story of concerned citizens from all walks of life getting together to right the 1969 injustice of complete closure of the 100-mile Waverley Route through the Borders. With our initial goal secured - services on the rebuilt 35-mile Borders Railway from Edinburgh to Galashiels and Tweedbank are due to start in September CBR is now focussed on onwards extension to Hawick and Carlisle. With YOUR support we can achieve our aim, and we look forward to the day when we can renew the Waverley s historic connection with the Settle and Carlisle Line, to the benefit of both. Membership is from only 5 a year to 50 for life; just ring our secretary on: or dgma@talktalk.net for details of how to join. For the latest news on the project visit our website and social media sites: Facebook campaignforbordersrail Campaign for Borders Rail 22

25 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News from Other Lines Wensleydale Railway ( ) By Ruth Annison Described as having a bold and alert carriage, which breed of sheep shares its name with a crumbly cheese traditionally served with fruit cake and with a heritage railway that joins the East Coast main line near Northallerton? Question to contestants. University Challenge Many readers of this magazine will know the answer, because Garsdale station on the Settle-Carlisle (then called Hawes Junction) used to provide a connection with the Wensleydale railway - which also joined the East Coast main line 40 miles away near Northallerton (as the track still does). However the rails on the South Curve into Northallerton station were lifted many years ago, so at present WR s passengers cannot board or alight at Northallerton station. Two recent developments at the eastern end of the Wensleydale Railway (WR) are stepping stones towards the goal of restoring WR passenger services between Northallerton and Leeming Bar (the present starting point for WR passenger services). Last autumn a new platform was built and ceremonially opened on the outskirts of the town; it is known as Northallerton West and was funded by Hambleton District Council, the Dales Integrated Transport Alliance (DITA) and the Wensleydale Railway Trust (WRT). Only a few weeks earlier, restoration work had been completed by WR volunteers at Scruton station, between Leeming Bar and Northallerton West (although please note that as yet neither of these new facilities is in regular use). This visible progress at the eastern end of the Wensleydale Railway is very encouraging, especially after the difficulties and expense following two landslips at Akebar the previous winter. Meanwhile, 17 miles west of Leeming Bar, at Redmire on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, WR s Extensions Development Committee is assembling a strong team to plan and prepare for the reinstatement of four miles of track to Aysgarth,where volunteers are already at work improving the former Aysgarth station site, holding Open Days - and a holiday cottage is available. Join us in Hawes! Further up the dale, there will also be a modest WR presence this summer. National Park volunteers have restored the old weighbridge hut in Hawes station yard and WRT has now leased this historic property. WR volunteers will provide information and details about 2015 train services, opportunities for volunteering and WR s longer-term plans. As 2015 marks the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Wensleydale Railway Association, it is appropriate that a small WR outpost should be opened near the Settle-Carlisle line whose Reprieve in 1989 provided the trigger for embarking on the goal of bringing back passenger services to Wensleydale - first on the surviving 22 mile track to Redmire and, eventually, for the full 40 miles between the East Coast main line and the Settle- Carlisle. WR has always enjoyed and appreciated the support of FoSCL, both as an organisation and because many individual FoSCL members are also WRA members/wr shareholders. Now there is an opportunity for some WRA members to join WR s Hawes information team (details from Phil Smith, ; pandmsmith@sky.com). If you live within reach of the Settle-Carlisle line, onward travel from Garsdale station to Hawes is on the year-round daily Little White Bus service. Bus passes are valid on scheduled LWB services; for passengers using trains to/from Garsdale that are not met by a scheduled service, the LWB can be pre-booked ( ; single fare currently 3.50). Garsdale station to Hawes walk: Friday May 1st: Wensleydale Railway offers its thanks to FoSCL for taking over responsibility this year for WR s annual Garsdale station to Hawes walk. There are two routes, a moderate 6 mile walk and a strenuous 10 mile high-level route. Again, the Little White Bus service is useful walk one way and catch the LWB the other (details above). Walk information is available in the Ride2 Stride programme 23

26 of the Settle-Carlisle Walking Festival and from local Tourist Information Centres. Campaign claims credit for upgraded Borders Railway trains The well-attended AGM of the Campaign for Borders Rail heard guest speaker Mike Kean of Abellio promise that the trains deployed on the Borders Railway will be refurbished to a high standard, commensurate with the international appeal of the line as a scenic attraction. Mr Kean, who directed his company s successful bid to operate the ScotRail franchise, including the Borders Railway, said that Thursday s meeting in Galashiels represented the beginning of Abellio s engagement with communities in Scotland. Simon Walton, chairman of the Campaign for Borders Rail, said that refurbished trains would provide a much better experience for commuters and visitors alike. We ve lobbied for better trains all along, he said. This refurbishment announcement is seen 24 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - News from Other Lines as the latest significant success for our continued campaigning work. The Campaign was also praised by Stuart Mackay, communications manager of BAM Nuttall, the railway s main contractor. He noted that the very existence of the project was owed to the Campaign, and recalled the day he attended the Campaign s 2012 AGM, on the same day that his company was engaged to build what was the biggest domestic railway project in living memory. Mr Mackay, who was also a speaking guest, surprised the Campaign with the presentation of a souvenir length of rail - cut from the first panel of track laid in the Borders near Falahill, earlier that day. Even more warmly received was a valuable 1969 bottled malt whisky, which has been retained for future fund raising and charitable donation. Both gifts were made on behalf of BAM Nuttall and Network Rail. Hoping for the day when the Borders Railway may reach Carlisle, the chairman of the Friends of the Carlisle-Settle Line, Richard Morris, outlined the similarities between the railway he supported, and the Borders Railway. He noted the huge tourism potential for such a scenic route and also applauded the announcement of refurbished trains, which he expected would be the envy of passengers on the Carlisle-Settle services. Mr Morris said that extension of the Borders Railway to Hawick should be a priority, which drew applause from the audience of more than 80 Campaign members, packed into the church of St Peters in Galashiels. Chairman Simon Walton said the Campaign would continue to support the Borders Railway, while pursuing its mandate to seek restoration of the entire former mainline to Carlisle. Our membership have this ambition at heart, he said. The Campaign for Borders Rail is better served than ever by an enthusiastic and experienced committee and membership. We eagerly anticipate services commencing in September next year, but we will continue to work to see rail services restored along the remainder of the former Waverley Route and help with the economic regeneration of the Borders as a whole.

27 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Sleeper to Nowhere 25

28 Why So Few Diversions on the S&C? Christmas is the time of year when the railways do major engineering work, taking advantage of the seasonal shut down. Costly but necessary. This year though it went horribly wrong especially for the East Coast route from Kings Cross and the route to the west from Paddington. The papers were full of recriminations and calls for heads to roll. The government announced an inquiry. It seems to me that what is needed is a serious strategic look at this country s railway system, so vulnerable to day-to-day disruptions as well as these seasonal problems. There should be a strong and urgent emphasis on diversionary routes and contingency planning. Bus substitution should be a last, not the first, resort. Beeching did his report in the sixties and wielded his axe. It seemed regrettable but inevitable at the time. Many of Britain s railways were then an extravagance and the very idea of rail transport seemed to be in decline. The tree needed a severe pruning and got it. Trouble was, the prunings were burned in huge bonfires of assets, lost and gone for ever in too many cases. Trouble now is, a tree that is so severely pruned either dies or flourishes. In Britain s case the tree has flourished well beyond the expectations of even the most optimistic sixties gardener. It is now so laden with fruit (passengers) that its boughs bend and sometimes break. The response? Let s build new capacity. Let it be High Speed too. It will cost billions but there is multi party support. Still not sure where it will go exactly but it will turn out fine, you ll see. But hang on a mo.. Are we making good use of existing capacity? No, no, emphatically no. The Victorians were not totally daft. They recognised that the UK was a bit like an inverted letter T. To use today s paper terminology it is portrait in orientation with a landscape portion across the south. They built one, two, three then four magnificent and costly railway lines south to north. The last-but-one to be built was the Midland route from London 26 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Why so few Diversions on the S&C? St Pancras to Glasgow and Edinburgh, splitting at Carlisle. Even Beeching shied away from recommending its closure. Well, it was spared, neglected, reprieved and now, 25 years on, flourishes beyond anybody s dreams. As a daily observer of the to-ings and froings on this route I see that it is underused to an alarming degree. This despite almost daily stoppages or delays on the other two remaining and overcrowded north-south routes. A recent document (see elsewhere in this journal) from the government funded, well intended, but impotent Passenger Focus tells us that the reasons that this route is not used for diversions are that: 1) (Virgin) west coast drivers are not trained to use it and 2) it is not electrified Given the serious economic and social consequences of main line rail disruptions it seems obvious that these two stated reasons need to be tackled and the line brought back into immediate use for diversions. It was one of the key reasons it was not closed. Both stated problems can be remedied: 1) Virgin and Trans Pennine Express drivers must be trained for the S&C and that training must be maintained. All Preston based Virgin drivers were until recently trained for the S&C but someone, somewhere, decided to put a stop to that. That decision should be reversed immediately and the necessary training put in place. 2) The route may be electrified one day but that very electrification seems to be the weakness of the other two remaining lines. Strong east-west winds routinely bring about speed restrictions on the East and West Coast main lines, bring down overhead wires themselves or blow falling trees onto them. Lines close and bus-fests ensue. Meanwhile the S&C route remains open and unused, save for occasional Virgin trains being repositioned from the wrong side of the blockage of the day. This is a shameful neglect of a fit-

29 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Why so few Diversions on the S&C for-purpose main line that was built at immense cost in money and human lives and which has been entirely renewed and its capacity doubled since its reprieve from closure. Why is this diversionary route being ignored? The answer probably lies in the structural fragmentation of todays railway which operates in organisational silos and which seems incapable of thinking outside them. Somebody near the centre of things needs to get a grip and impose coordination on a system that is at serious risk. I am not sure who that somebody is. There seem to be too many candidates, none of whom will grasp this problem. I suspect that the railway industry simply cannot or will not address it from within. Back in 1989 when this route was saved from closure it was the politicians of the day who took a brave and, as it turned out, correct decision. Twenty five years on their successors may need to step in and act. Decisively. Mark Rand Investing in the Rail Network Reports of the work of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport can be found on the UK Parliament website: Here are some telling quotes: It is concerning, however, that witnesses representing key stakeholders for the rail industry feel that there is no clear longterm plan for the railway. We call on Network Rail to publish a vision for the railway up to 2043, with a breakdown of the work expected to be carried out in each Control Period. The Department must also set out how the interests of rail passengers outside the North s city regions will be protected under the devolution to Rail North. When things do go wrong, Network Rail must have adequate contingency plans. It should not abdicate its responsibility to passengers, particularly vulnerable ones such as the elderly or families with young children. Some extracts: 12. We are disappointed that the consultation proposals for the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not focused on increasing capacity and improving rolling stock, but instead suggested that passengers in the north must make trade-offs between fares and decent journeys... The consultation document suggests that the body s powers (Rail North - ed) will be limited... Rail North was clear that fare increases on the Northern franchise could not be considered prior to improvements in rolling stock and services. If devolution is genuine 14. The TransPennine Express/Chiltern Railways transfer of rolling stock has been symptomatic of a fundamental weakness in the way rolling stock is leased and managed. Pacer trains 15. By refusing to give a date for when the Pacer trains will be taken out of service and simply saying that he hopes they have had their day, the Secretary of State has suggested that he does not have the powers to ensure a decent quality of train for passengers in the North and South West of England or in Wales... We find it concerning that the rolling stock operating company Porterbrook is prepared to spend 800,000 refurbishing the Pacer to extend its use on our network. It is unacceptable that Pacer trains built in the mid-1980s and of questionable safety are still in use on busy rail lines. 16. The cascading of train carriages out of the South East may provide the most efficient way for the rolling stock operating companies to manage their rolling stock. It is concerning that the Department has chosen to order brand new trains for passengers in London and the South East, while expecting passengers in the rest of the country to be content with reconditioned older trains cast-offs from more prosperous areas. The full link for this report is: uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/ cmtran/257/25714.htm 27

30 Walk the Line Settle to Carlisle 2014 As many people will be aware, a large element of the campaigning group that fought to save the Settle to Carlisle Line comprised of walkers, both as individuals and as members of various walking clubs etc. Indeed, it is from this link between walkers and the campaign that FoSCL established its programme of free guided walks which are still going strong today. It seemed appropriate therefore that a walk-related event should be organised as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations. As a result Walk the Line a series of linear walks from Settle to Carlisle took place during the year. The programme was planned and organised with Friends of DalesRail. Although a separate organisation, Friends of DalesRail has many members who were involved in the campaign and their committee and walk leaders were keen to be involved. Diane Taylor receiving her certificate from Pete Myers (left) of Northern Rail. Right is FoSCL Treasurer and Ride2Stride Chairman Stephen Way. Photo: Bob Clarke Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Walk the Line - Settle to Carlisle 2014 seven sections were:- Settle to Ribblehead; Ribblehead to Garsdale; Garsdale to Kirkby Stephen; Kirkby Stephen to Appleby; Appleby to Langwathby; Langwathby to Armathwaite and Armathwaite to Carlisle. Lunch at Wetheral Woods Photo: Ron McKenzie The first leg from Settle to Ribblehead was walked 3 times during April and May with the final leg from Armathwaite to Carlisle walked during late September and early October. Each person who turned up on one of the first section walks was given a loyalty card which was signed by a walk leader after each leg they completed. 25 people completed the whole journey from Settle to Carlisle and they have been given a certificate for their achievement. In addition Northern Rail have given each person who completed the whole route a complimentary Day Rover ticket. Having both organisations involved meant that more leaders were available and each section of the walk could be repeated, thus giving participants a good chance of being able to do the whole journey on dates that fitted around other commitments. The 92 mile journey was split into 7 sections and the route chosen closely followed the one described in Vivienne Crow s Settle to Carlisle Way book 1. The 28 Lunch at Newbiggin Hall Photo: Ron McKenzie

31 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Walk the Line - Settle to Carlisle 2014 Walkers assemble outside Carlisle station Photo: Ron McKenzie In total over 350 people came on one or more of the walks on this programme and the feedback has been extremely positive. For many people the walks north of Kirkby Stephen through the Eden Valley were new territory. A highlight of this northern section was the hospitality extended to all the groups at Newbiggin Hall. When we did the reccie for this section we were met by the owner, Mrs Sawrey Cookson. She was very interested in what we were doing and was kind enough to show us round the chapel and gardens of the hall. As a result the same hospitality was shown to all 3 groups when the section from Appleby to Langwathby was walked. This included letting us eat our lunches on the terrace in front of the hall and even having some chairs out for extra comfort! Homeward Bound! Photo: Bob Clarke A number of people commented on how much they enjoyed the walks having a longer term objective than just being a day out and many walkers appreciated the fact that each section was repeated, with a number saying that had they not been able to do the whole walk they probably wouldn t have done any of it! Grateful thanks go to all the walk leaders without whom these walks would have been impossible to organise. Thanks must also go to Northern Rail for the very kind offer of complimentary tickets for completion and of course thanks to the committees of both FoSCL and Friends of DalesRail for supporting the whole event. David Singleton A Response to FoSCL from Virgin Trains* when asked about the lack of diversions via the S&C It is difficult, though not impossible to divert Voyagers via the S&C during periods of disruption. For poor weather particularly, it is not unusual for both the WCML and S&C routes to be affected, by flooding / fallen trees, so often we are in a position of only being able to operate bus replacements. In terms of infrastructure failure when the S&C is otherwise unaffected, it is difficult largely due to rolling stock (i.e. Voyager) availability, as more Pendolinos are being used on services north of Preston since the December 2013 timetable change than in previous years, and traincrew availability. Not all crews that work our trains north of Preston sign the S&C route so that does limit our options somewhat. However, whilst we have the ability to use diesel trains and have some crews that can work over the S&C it certainly isn t an option that is overlooked in disruption. It is considered by our Control team in such situations on a case-by-case basis. * Virgin Trains current slogan is Arrive Awesome 29

32 The Manchester Link As my vital statistics have been mostly heading south for the past five decades, it seemed appropriate that, for a milestone birthday, I echoed that noble principle. So it was to Jersey that I headed (long story - long lost family including a photographically beheaded grandfather, golden cows, and railways of course - St Aubin to St Helier since you ask, short, but vital for Jersey s nineteenth century granite and cider exports). As I was flying from Manchester, I enquired whether I could get there using my favoured bit of track, bearing in mind that I could park at a mate s in Armathwaite, thus avoiding the hideously astronomical cost of parking at Carlisle or Penrith, necessarily incurred if I used the - whisper it - the West Coast mainline. NO came the answer. At least, I could use the Settle to Carlisle, just not conveniently, and not without travelling two sides of a triangle. My reaction was not printable in a nice, family magazine like this. But it turns out I was by no means the first to ask the question and so it was that I, in search of a (future) answer, rocked up at Hellifield to meet Paul Levet. And what a madly lavish bit of high Victoriana that station is - extravagant wrought iron, a grandiose, Blackpool-ballroom of a cafe - it would be hard to think of anywhere better suited as tourist hub, especially as they had liver and onions and corned beef hash on the menu as Specials - the freight drivers ate here, and very well they looked on it, trust me. Paul Levet is, and has been, for some time, grappling with precisely the conundrum of a Settle/Carlisle to Manchester link. And let me tell you, he makes a damned fine case for one. He thought he had retired from work when he left Barclays Corporate Banking, but since he s been whipped in by the FoSCL he knows very, very differently... I had already talked to people on the train from Armathwaite and significant interest emerged in a connection, specifically to the airport, and the more easterly the passengers canvassed were, the stronger the feeling. It s not that they get meaner the further into the mysterious East one ventures, vis a vis the parking, 30 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - The Manchester Link the driving and so on, it s just that the more and more sense it makes to them - get the train, change at Hellifield, turn off down towards Clitheroe and keep going until you hit Manchester. One passenger told me that exactly such a service used to run, maybe forty years back and why shouldn t it again? He d use it, he said. And - he jabbed the table at this point, not in violence but in emphasis - it would open up employment opportunities in Manchester to people living in the Settle/ Carlisle corridor, as well as the obvious airport access and shopping opportunities. (I am not convinced that I need any more shopping opportunities, but fair play to him... he s got a wife or girlfriend to keep happy, somewhere) come up the Lancashire line from Blackpool into Hellifield with the special charity train on Sunday April 13th 2014 Photo: Pete Shaw After all, the infrastructure - the track, the stations - are already there, all it needs is a bit of rolling stock and the will. And maybe some coins of the realm to smooth its path... Paul outlined his vision with a clarity that made me feel that, frankly, if I were head of the DFT, Prime Minister, the Queen or God, I d have handed him a blank cheque and left him to it. Passengers would not just go TO Manchester, they d come FROM Manchester, probably a hefty chunk of the 2.6 million that live there, escaping to walk in the Dales, and the Eden valley, and to Carlisle and to Leeds and Skipton and all places in between... Maybe all those urbane sophisticates just want to see how we peasants live - who cares? As long as they use the Line that s good enough for me... More seriously, the Dales and the Eden Valley are the

33 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - The Manchester Link ideal playground for city-bound dwellers and utilising this bit of branch line more often, and more efficiently, would bring the glories of some of England s most fabulous, open, wildly unspoilt countryside within the city dwellers immediate, easy grasp - the air, the space, the scenery, the biting wind, the frozen extremities... oh no, don t let s put them off... Irresistible. Really. But Paul is a realist. He knows only too well that more than just raw emotion and passion need to be brought into play - he talked of costings (they work, based on realistic projections, and this IS a viable, sensible proposition), practicalities (those too), signalling and driver training (both challenging but not impossible by any means), pathways (bear with me)... He is not dreaming of hourly services, but suggesting four trains, either way, every day. Connections need to be thoroughly thought out, and made to work, for sure, but that needs to happen anyway, Paul says, whether for the new service or for the existing ones, linking to Newcastle and elsewhere. After all, freight trains use the line frequently, and the pathway questions can be resolved by better services across the board, upgraded rolling stock, connections that actually, you know, connect - all those improvements will all attract new custom. And incorporating the Manchester/Clitheroe service into the projected new franchise is not beyond the wit of Man - if it can be done on Sundays, for walkers, it would just be an expansion of that existing service, wouldn t it? Of course it would. It s a no brainer, darling. I am sold, and pretty confident that the Settle/Carlisle value-for-miles and money would give Mr Virgin a run for his. My little jolly from Penrith to Manchester Airport lightened my credit card to the tune of fifty six quid for a return ticket - yikes, but you know, you get used to gruel after a while. But it would all be a great deal pleasanter on the Settle/Carlisle line with the special, friendly nature that we take for granted, and would love others to share, and it would be so much more scenic, too. Plus, there would be space for your luggage... What s not to like? Oh, and a final thought. I mentioned HM the Queen earlier - the Preston/Clitheroe/ Hellifield bit of track was good enough for the Royal Train this year, so it s good enough for me. What say you? Jackie Moffatt Writer in Residence This is a verbatim extract from a letter from Passenger Focus* to a FoSCL member who asked why the S&C was no longer being used for passenger train diversions: Both Virgin Trains and First TransPennine Express have investigated, but they don t believe using the Settle Carlisle line is practical for the following reasons: *lack of opportunity for crews to travel the route during the course of their normal working rosters, which is essential in ensuring that their route knowledge is current. Both drivers and conductors covering the routes come from a number of depots. In order for an exercise of this nature to work, they would all require training, and for that knowledge to be maintained so that they have worked the route at least every 12 weeks, which would be impractical to manage. *lack of electrification; this would mean that First TransPennine Express could only operate with Class 185s, which they wouldn t have available to utilise for Anglo-Scottish services without cancelling services elsewhere across the network. Line speed would also be a consideration as the increase in journey time would make it less attractive and possibly on a par with rail replacement services. *As you know Passenger Focus has been promoting the message that passengers would almost always prefer to travel by train, even if it means a longer journey than would be possible by rail replacement bus. However, we do accept that rail replacement buses will sometimes be the only practical option. On this occasion we are satisfied that the train companies have investigated and accept that unfortunately it will often not be practical for them to use the Settle and Carlisle Line when the West Coast Main Line is disrupted. *The mission of Passenger Focus is to get the best deal for passengers 31

34 Settle-Carlisle Railway Mileposts Part 2: The Shortest Route by Mark Harvey All Midland Railway Company distance diagrams produced after the remileaging exercise include the following statement: The continuous Distances are from St PANCRAS PASSENGER STATION by the Shortest Route and represent the milepost mileage. At the time these diagrams were drawn, there were several different Midland Railway Company route options for trains travelling north-south between London St Pancras and Settle Junction. Each of these route options would result in a different starting mileage for the Settle-Carlisle line, which begs the question What was the shortest route?. I posed this question to the volunteers at the Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby and Dave Harris (the Study Centre Co-ordinator) kindly spent some time pouring-over their wide-range of historic sources to provide the following answer: Milepost 0 was at the buffer stops at St. Pancras. From there, the shortest route is simple enough travelling north along the mainline via Leicester (99m 6c). At Trent Junction (119m 19c) the shortest route is via Toton and the Erewash Valley. North of Chesterfield (146m 20c) the shortest route diverges onto The Old Road at Tapton Junction (146m 69c), bypassing Sheffield, re-emerging at Rotherham Masboro (162m 0c). Northwards via Swinton (167m 9c), Darfield (171m 28c), Cudworth (175m 8c), Normanton (185m 11c) to Methley Jn (187m 34c). At Leeds, bypassing Wellington Station (196m 1c), the shortest route runs between Engine Shed Jn (195m 20c) and Whitehall Jn (195m 54c). Thereafter the route runs, as today, via Kirkstall (198m 24c), Shipley (Leeds Jn 205m 60c - Bingley Jn 206m 1c), Keighley (212m 6c), Skipton (221m 21c) to Settle Jn (234m 41c). Finally, the end of Midland metals at Petteril Jn, Carlisle is 307m 14c. A few ups and downs The memorandum dated July 27th 1901 clearly states that the new mileposts were to be installed on the up side of the line 32 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - The Shortest Route and this is where they are depicted on the 1911 and 1912 land plans. In contrast, the land plans depict the majority of the original mileposts on the down side, with just a few on the up side. A review of cabview footage shot between Hellifield and Carlisle at various dates between 1984 and 2012 suggests that the up side instruction was obeyed for the new mileposts at least, within the boundaries of the Settle- Carlisle Railway Conservation Area. There is currently one exception: milepost 290¾ has been located on the down side since at least However, it is almost certain that this too was originally located on the up side and that it was relocated to the down side in the 1950s to facilitate the extensive remodelling of Long Meg Sidings. Langwathby Marker Accesible examples There are a handful of locations on the Settle-Carlisle Railway where examples of the 1902 mileposts can be examined safely by members of the public, namely: Settle Station (236½), Horton-in-Ribblesdale Station (242½), Ribblehead Station (247¼) and Appleby Station (277¼). NB: These structures form an integral part of the operational railway. DO NOT TAMPER OR INTERFERE WITH THEM. Also, please respect the flower beds in which they are located / the buildings to which they are attached. In addition to the above, a ghost of the old mileaging system (measured from

35 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - The Shortest Route Footnotes and sources Settle junction) can be seen at Langwathby Station. Here, the number 53½ is clearly visible - painted in black and white on the wall of the former booking office (see photograph on opposite page). To avoid fouling the loading gauge or obstructing the cess in tunnels, wall-plates (rather than posts with heads) were used as distance markers inside tunnels. While it is not possible to observe these items in situ, the 257½ mile wall-plate was removed from Moorcock Tunnel during maintenance work at some point in the past and it now resides at the Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby, where it can be viewed by appointment (see photograph below). Mark Harvey (Pete Shaw adds: An example of a wallplate milepost can be seen from the platform (i.e., safely) at Bentham station, underneath the road bridge). Further Reading Additional material relating to mileposts within the SCRCA can be viewed on the FoSCL website at: settle-carlisle-railway-mileposts 1: Source: Rail 491/26 Board Minutes /7/ /6/ : The exact date of the Midland Railway Company s decision to re-measure and re-mark the mileages across their entire network has not yet been ascertained definitively from primary sources, despite extensive research over many years by members of the Midland Railway Society. The approximate date of the late 1890s is based on information from two sources: * The following entry in Signal Alterations Book 3 (Midland Railway Study Centre reference RFBMCT11338): Re-mile posting the Midland Railway commenced in 1900 J.W.S.. *A reference made by the locomotive historian Ahrons (writing in 1916) in which he notes that the Midland Railway Company s main line was re-measured about 18 years ago. 3: These documents now form part of the Roy F. Burrows Midland Collection (item reference RFBMCT27609). 4: Background notes relating to Messrs. McCallum, Rodgers and Poyser are available in the detailed footnotes on the webpage quoted under Further Reading (see above). Space constraints prevent their inclusion here. 5: Unfortunately, the drawing referred to in the memorandum dated July 27th, 1901 does not appear to have survived. A later drawing, dating from 1908, was reproduced on page 78 of Midland Record, Issue No. 15 (published by the Midland Railway Society in 2001) 6: See note 4. 7: See note 4. 8: Source: Gough, John: Midland Railway Mile Posts (op. cit.) - In paragraph 4, Gough suggests 1907 as the date of the Midland Railway Company s network-wide re-mileaging exercise. 9: Source: Anderson, V.R. & Fox, G.K.: Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway, Oxford Publishing Company (1986) is mentioned as the date of the re-mileaging exercise for the Settle-Carlisle line on several occasions in this book, including the note below the distance diagrams and the text accompanying Plate 1. 10: Source: Page 65 of Signalling Alterations Book No. 5 ( ), which forms part of the Roy F. Burrows Midland Collection (item reference RFBMCT13340). 33

36 Settle Station Signalbox Report on its Movement from Its Original Site To A New One Adjacent to the Station Platform Personnel involved: Toby Woodhouse, Glyn Hague, Derek Soames, David Richardson, Roger Hardingham. Date of movement: June Present status of box: According to Roger Hardingham, who tells me that his memory is very good, the box was still owned by Railtrack and now by succession Network Rail - but is on permanent lease to FoSCL. Roger Hardingham was tasked with the project to move the box and liaised with Keith Winnery of Bentham who helped to design the case to move it from its former to its new position. FoSCL designed and paid for the steel strengthening bars which were affixed round the box forming a cradle to enable lifting. Roger arranged for a ninety ton crane to come to Settle overnight, picking up the box frame during a line possession period to allow for engineering work some way up the line. A gang of eight FoSCL volunteers pushed the six platelayers 34 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Settle Signalbox trolleys with the frame upon them some 200 yards up the drag to the new site. It seems that approaching the station the work became increasingly difficult, the cause later being found to be due to the six foot shrinking slightly to allow clearance through the platforms. The overnight operation was completed with the crane lifting the frame onto its new concrete base as the sun rose. Roger has photos plus some film of this amazing occasion! It took a further two years work to restore the box to its former glory. Text & Photos: Bob Swallow Sri Lankan Advenure Former FoSCL Chairman Philip Johnston recently led 30 members of The Historical Association around northern areas of Sri Lanka, still suffering from the ravages of the island s prolonged civil war. What he had not anticipated was the wholesale rebuilding of Sri Lanka Rail s widespread main and branch lines in the North, especially the fine, British station at Jaffna. Despite Chinese financial backing, the main station footbridge-made in Oldham-but still pock-marked with machine gun holes-was not being replaced! As one guest had left all his money and valuables in the hotel bedroom s safe, he and his wife returned by train to Colombo, to retrieve it. He says that the experience was extraordinary; there being no first class. They travelled north through shanty towns and banana plantations, then along the Indian Ocean s dramatic billowing blue rollers into a heaving Colombo s main station. Their return journey saw them standing for the first half hour, then seated as Philip counted the number of passengers in their coach, one of ten. No one was on the roof, but there were approximately 100 in this one carriage, sitting in the luggage racks and on the vehicle s steps! The itinerary took us back to the airport on the newly-built motorway which had been built by the British but was devoid of any interest at all; going by rail was exquisite!

37 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letter to the Editor Letters to the Editor As with all material in this magazine, views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the FoSCL committee. We reserve the right to edit letters. Electrification and Modernisation In my view the S&C was saved not preserved and, as such we should support modernisation of the route such as resignalling, electronic information boards, ticket machines, faster newer trains and (if available) electrification. The S&C is already sandwiched between two electrified systems at Leeds and Carlisle, and train operators services are likely to be increasingly electric hauled as the electrified network increases - changing locos is good for train spotters but bad for business. Indeed without electrification I would query the longer term (20years+) role of our line for freight. In addition the future of DMUs seems limited except for rural lines and any future Glasgow to Leeds and the East express Three Miles North of Appleby Just as it was in 1875 but with all mod cons (inc Wifi). Lounge: Ladies Waiting Room (with panoramic view of Lake District hills). Dining Room: Porter s Room Kitchen: Lamp Room services are desirably electric. I feel there is little future in actively supporting a legacy system which condemns the line to cascaded DMUs for the long term future. The role of the society should surely be to encourage and welcome the new technologies which underpin future rail operations whilst acting as a moderator in terms of the application of such technology so as to preserve the architecture, style and ethos of the line. John Oliver - by S E L F C A T E R I N G H O L I D A Y S A T L O N G M A R T O N S T A T I O N Sleeps 6 + baby, in large family bedroom with king-size and two single beds, plus twin bedroom and cot. Pets welcome. Ample on-site parking. Garden. Great pub/restaurant 200 yards away (3 courses 10.45!), superb village bakery. From 260 to 560 per week all-inclusive (even firewood!), short breaks too. For more details see our website LongMartonStation.co.uk. To enquire or book: ring David and Madeleine Adams on or dgma@talktalk.net 35

38 Conservation or preservation? There is a difference. Faced with something valuable inherited from a former era many people want to keep it as it was - to preserve it. Society can afford to preserve small artefacts in museums but it can t afford to preserve a whole railway. If we want to keep it we have to keep it in productive use while retaining as many of its valuable features as possible - to conserve it. We saved the line by convincing the powers that be that it could pay its way as part of the rail network. The last 25 years investment was made into a successful working railway not a museum piece. But we can t be complacent, for example with reducing coal traffic. Electrification is an indirect threat because as it spreads across the network any non-electrified lines will become less attractive to operators, especially for through trains, which is one of our ambitions. Electrifying the S&C would be technically difficult because of the restricted gauge so we would need to make a strong case - not turn up our nose at the idea of nasty wires on our pretty railway. The Swiss have plenty of wires going through beautiful scenery and no one thinks they have ruined them. Related to electrification is the issue of renewable energy. One way rail scores over road is that if it is electrified it can use renewable energy. But the electricity has to be generated! I was most unhappy to hear that our committee had objected to wind turbines because they would be visible from the railway. FOSCL s role is to promote the line, and in my view this goes outside it. From a broader perspective, objecting to renewable energy seems contrary to the ecological argument for (electrified) rail. There are many other man-made structures visible from the line, some far from elegant. Indeed the line itself could be described as a gash cut through pristine landscape. We ve got used to it and we like it. Future generations speeding along the line from Glasgow to Sheffield under the wires may look at wind turbines and be thankful that we didn t try to preserve 36 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letters to the Editor everything as it was, and that the lights are still on. The Prospectus I am really pleased to receive the S&C Journal and would like to make a few comments. Sadly, I live a long way from the S&C, but have visited and with very great pleasure - I suppose Dorset is also beautiful!! I particularly noted the page giving suggestions for development, more recognition and improvements - the Prospectus. It was really good reading and showed real enthusiasm for the future with real practical suggestions and thought for action. Congratulations to the thinkers and writers of the Prospectus. I really hope - as all supporters do presumably - that this notice will be received by the enablers and those who could make such a difference and that action will be taken as soon as possible. I really wish well to the fulfilling of the Prospectus. Thanks for it. Just a plea for possible framed pictures of the Line, often seen in the Journal - although I now have little room on my walls in my flat! - could these wonderful pictures be offered for purchase through the Friends? I wish all S&C officers and workers very best for your endeavours, the time and resources to fulfil plans (I can see much has been done over the years) and strong motivation of powers that be who may be willing to act profitably for the S&C cause and increase its prosperity. David Saunders by Your centre pages presentation, issue 138, on Taking the history of the line into the future was a reminder to all of us of the vast potential the line has to offer. The 16 unexploited opportunities listed in the Prospectus are a meaningful summary of where the potential for improvements exists. Indeed the words must be provided are used to highlight the necessity for these improvements. Relating to these opportunities, Michael Portillo is calling for the managers of the regular train services to show some of the

39 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letters to the Editor imagination that enabled the line to be saved twenty five years ago. What I want to know is who are these managers? Who would make the decision to implement even one of these unexploited opportunities? Are they everchanging faceless people who have no incentive to implement change, let alone a desire to do so? We always seem to pander to these people, apparently afraid that we may lose out if we upset them. They have sat on their backsides for years hiding behind the cost element of any change. Their track(!) record is dismal. Is it not high time we demanded change from them? Demanded that they use some common sense instead of the senseless and pointless thinking which has been and continues to be, endemic in their management style and structure. The fact that the timetable has remained unchanged since reprieve and goes nowhere near to meeting today s demand, is a prime example of this endemic stagnation. I have to acknowledge that I am an armchair supporter, but give me a name(s) of some present decision -making manager(s) and I would be only too pleased to fire off a letter of complaint at their continuing inertia. This is a fight. It has always been a fight and if every member did just that and FoSCL took the fight to them, we might just get some commonsense and action from these faceless people. Mike Dickinson by Newcastle Connections I read with interest in the November magazine the desire to improve connections to the Newcastle line (page 21), and it being noted (page 2) that at certain times of the day connections are awful!. However, only 18 months earlier the Chairman commented (May 2013 Magazine, Page 39) Our passenger surveys over the past two years have shown that there is, surprisingly, very little demand for interchange between the S&C and the Newcastle line. Traffic flows through Carlisle are mainly north-south (e.g. Leeds- Glasgow) and east-west (e.g. Workington - Newcastle). I would therefore like to question why FoSCL now considers connections to the Newcastle line important enough to include in the prospectus, and why has the Chairman bothered to note that connections are awful when there is very little demand for interchange between the two lines. I completely agree with the prospectus that there must be a step change in ambitions for the line. Not only has the timetable been stagnant since reprieve, but so too has access to train services in terms of the number of stations served. I therefore hope reopening Cumwhinton becomes a priority to provide realistic access to those groups I mentioned in the August 2014 magazine (page 39). I also hope that if the chairman can change his mind about the need for Newcastle connections, he can also change his mind about the potential of a new station at Durranhill to bring Carlisle - Leeds / Newcastle train services within walking distance of literally thousands more people. Toby Harling - Carlisle Black Five I am writing this letter as a kind response to a friend who has loaned me some copies of your Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal during my enforced captivity at home because of an operation. I have greatly enjoyed reading these, although I must confess that I am an L.&N.W.R. fanatic! My comment actually concerns this railway and a very clear memory of when I lived in Clitheroe and the through train to Glasgow St. Enoch, the 9.20 from Manchester Exchange. A friend and I were aware that each summer Saturday, there was a namer which travelled up the line to Hellifield, leaving Clitheroe at We usually made our way down to the railway across the intervening two fields to await this exciting prospect. I can remember seeing 5612 Jamaica on this train, but no others come to mind. The start from Clitheroe station was always very audible, but on this particular 37

40 day, it was very apparent that the train was double-headed. As it burst out from under Pimlico Road bridge, a small engine was on the front. This proved to be 25350, formerly India and the train engine was what we called a Mickey, nowadays known as a Black Five. I have no idea what number it bore. I had never seen a George the Fifth before and the memory of seeing one at Clitheroe has remained with me for almost seventy years. Perhaps the operating department felt that a Black Five couldn t have coped with the heavy train over the steep gradients between Bolton and Blackburn and had grabbed the first engine available. In later years, I have often wondered if the pilot came off at Hellifield to be replaced by a Midland engine, or whether it worked through to Carlisle. I think it incredibly unlikely that anyone will also recall this summer Saturday in 1947, but believe me, it did happen! The letter from Frank Horsfield in the August 2012 issue, number 129 has awakened this recollection and all its unanswerable questions. I hope that you didn t mind my writing to you on the subject of a foreign engine!! Iain Parsons, Brampton by Loss of Buses The loss of the 564 bus route between Kirkby Stephen and Kendal brings to an end my main use of the S&C -- as a means of access to the southern Lake District. May I ask FOSCL to lobby for a well designed service providing a direct and scenic link between eastern England and the Lake District? This is not what we have had. With the 564, a journey between Darlington and Windermere via Wensleydale needed 6 changes -- hardly user friendly given that this is the only trans-pennine corridor between Skipton and Hexham to have a regular service. I therefore propose developing an integrated network on the A684 corridor. As the public transport equivalent of the Highways Agency s A66 this should likewise be financed nationally, the more so as it would link three National Parks. The cost of supporting it would be negligible compared 38 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letters to the Editor with current spending on roads or railways, even if it didn t attract much greater usage as I believe it would. I suggest a main route linking Stokesley and Kendal, replacing most of existing routes 80/89, 73, 155/156, 113 and what s left of the 564. There would also be route variations linking Northallerton and Leyburn via Catterick Garrison (replacing most of the 32, 54, 55 and 159); between Leyburn and Aysgarth via Redmire (hopefully covered in due course by the Wensleydale Railway); and between Hawes and Sedbergh via Dent station and village (route 564A/C). There would also be the following key connections: 1. At Stokesley for Middlesbrough (29A) and Redcar (81/A), plus 2 buses per day between Middlesbrough and Whitby via Eskdale, which would fill gaps in the meagre train service and take over existing buses serving Stokesley School. 2. Rail services at Northallerton, plus an onward bus connection at Thirsk for Scarborough (this spring I saw and signed a local petition to extend the 128 Scarborough-Helmsley to Thirsk). 3. At Leyburn for Ripon and York (159 and 142/3). 4. At Catterick Garrison for Richmond, Darlington and Middlesbrough (26/A and X66). 4. At Kendal for Keswick (555) and Barrow (X6). The service should run at least 2 hourly end to end, Sundays included, timed to connect with trains in both directions at Garsdale or Dent. If we can use the Manchester- Clitheroe-Carlisle route to make up hourly trains on the S&C, then the weekday bus frequency east of Garsdale should also go up to hourly. The S&C passes through the Yorkshire Dales National Park but doesn t serve its heart. The above route would change that: marketed under a name such as the Three Parks Link, it would also do much to restore sustainable access to the Lake District and North York Moors. Without such a service, maybe these National Parks should be renamed National Car Parks -- which is what parts of them often look like at present at peak times. Simon Norton by

41 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letters to the Editor (Dr. John Disney comments: FoSCL are keen to promote integrated transport along the line and financially support some connecting bus services and are pleased that Northern have done likewise. Whilst FoSCL welcomes any improvements in public transport it is difficult to see why the Northern franchisee would wish to support a bus service from Stokesley (off the rail network) to Kendal (on the TPE network) which just happens to pass Garsdale Station (though not necessarily when a train connection is due as the S&C is not clockface) nor is there any current mechanism for English central government to directly fund bus services unlike the situation in Wales. The 564 Kirkby Stephen - Sedbergh - Kendal bus was poorly used and provided limited connections with trains at Kirkby Stephen. Sedbergh is closer to Oxenholme Station than the S&C whilst Dent Station is only accessible by smaller buses and has limited potential demand. Any bus service along the A684 will be slow due to the nature of the road; the 62 miles from Northallerton to Kendal would take 2 1/2 hours notwithstanding waiting time at Garsdale to make any train connections. A faster cross Pennine bus connection could be made between Darlington and Penrith via Appleby using the A66; maybe as Virgin Stagecoach are to operate both WC and EC main lines and Stagecoach already operate buses in Penrith they could be encouraged to trial such a service on a commercial basis? Looking at the fares the OPR from Cambridge to Kendal available from even via London (with some journeys taking just over 4 1/2 hrs) compares very favourably with the 138 return to Northallerton pre ( after 10.00) or the return fares to Garsdale ( pre 0900; 106 later) or Kirkby Stephen ( pre 09.00; later) suggesting that most people would choose the train via WCML if travelling from Eastern England to the Lakes. FoSCL will continue to press for suitably timed connecting buses from the line to Hawes, Dent Village and Kirkby Stephen Town which will encourage more use of the S&C by both visitors and residents). Smardale Viaduct? One of my birthday cards had an intriguing picture on it, and my immediate reaction was to wonder whether it was where the former Northeastern line ran under Smardale Viaduct. I found a copy on a Danish website, see: kunstnerkort-71/engelskekunstnerkort-415.html The card said: Detail from The Train Spotters by Peter Hodge. I found Peter Hodge s address and contacted him, but he said: Unfortunately I can t confirm the exact location as it was a composite image from several old picture sources and a bit of imagination. I hunted the web for any photos that might confirm or otherwise, but the only ones I can find are much closer: photo/ photo/ Maybe some readers might be able to shed light? John Harrison - by Jimmy Richardson As a recently-joined member of FoSCL, I find the Letters to the Editor section very interesting and informative. It was very nice to read yet another letter concerning Jimmy Richardson. If it had not been for Jimmy I may not have been writing this letter as it was Jim who introduced me to people at the Appleby shop and other FoSCL members. 39

42 Many moons ago I used to be an avid train spotter and spent many Saturdays at Carlisle Upperby, Kingmoor and Canal sheds and I still possess my 1962 combined volume which gave me many happy times. My grandfather s working life was 100% on the railways in this country and, also, on the Canadian Pacific railroad before coming back to this country to enlist in WW1 and serve in the Royal Engineers. Yes, Jimmy lived in Langwathby for many years; he would always wave as I passed through, or stop for a long chat. It was shortly afterwards that he moved to Penrith and I used to collect him and take him to the Appleby shop. I used to admire the lovely prints of various locomotives which he had framed and which adorned his living room. With regard to introducing youngsters to the railway fraternity: I believe that those who were good at art whilst at school should be introduced to make new posters for the many platforms up and down the country, plus the many plant tubs or troughs which need to be sanded, stained and the hoops, which are presently showing a dull shade of rust, tidied and painted. As I help in the Appleby shop on a Friday, we used to have many pupils from the local grammar school who would attend the Heritage Centre to learn various skills. RIP Jimmy: Happy Memories. Marsden Cross Penrith Incident on the S&C This is an incident that happened on the S&C line on a Saturday evening in the mid-90s. At that time I was working at London Euston station on telephone travel enquiries and, at approximately 9.30 pm, we were getting calls asking about the Rear Cover Images: More diversions on the S&C. 40 Settle-Carlisle Railway Journal - Letters to the Editor Above: A Class 57 and a Pendolino on a diverted Glasgow - Euston service near Sunny Brow, Mallerstang, on 5/5/2007. Below: on the diverted Tesco container train in Garsdale on 2/3/2007. Photos: Pete Shaw 5pm from Glasgow to Euston was it on time? Etc. The only information which we had was that it had left Carlisle on time. So I had a word with the boss to see it was on the S&C (the WCML was blocked by engineering work between Preston and Carlisle). Having thoughts of Blea Moor and Hellifield I chose Hellifield. When the signalman answered the phone he just could not believe that we at Euston needed information on this train as we had no response from the computer screen he was really flabbergasted! Apparently the 5pm from Glasgow was badly delayed by the train in front a freight which had great difficulty climbing to Ais Gill summit. He told us that the 5.00pm had just gone through Hellifield and would be in Preston at about 10pm then Euston at approximately 1.30am. No doubt the freight train had made it to the loop at Blea Moor with difficulty what happened then is anybody s guess. Now the reason for the loss of information on the 5.00pm: in the Pennines the radio waves could not get through to control at Preston. When the 5.00pm from Glasgow eventually arrived at Euston taxis galore had to be organized; so that was a shift that I will always remember! G.H. Stocker Harrow, Middlesex (Editors Note: A rather salutary story these days the passengers would probably have travelled between Carlisle and Preston on a bus with the associated inconvenience of struggling with luggage four times at Glasgow, Carlisle, Preston and Euston.) The Editor apologises to letter writers whose communications have not yet been included in the magazine.

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